


Stir our way onward mixing as we go

by errantknightess



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Humor, Laven Week, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-12 09:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11734230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/errantknightess/pseuds/errantknightess
Summary: Laven Week 2017At first, Lavi just wanted to focus on his studies, but soon enough he found himself chasing after a white-haired boy that attracted his attention much more than he felt comfortable to admit.He really should have been more careful about mixing with people. After all, you cannot stir things apart.





	1. Missed chances

**Author's Note:**

> So, somehow I managed to finish at least some of this year's Laven Week prompts on time. This time, they are all one continuous story; it's my first attempt at writing something this long and with a semblance of an actual plot, so I really hope I did okay ^^
> 
> Day 1: realisations, beginnings, missed opportunities

There were still dandelions, Lavi observed lazily as his eye slid over the trodden lawn in front of the Faculty of Languages and History. A few clumps of fluffy white balls peeked out of the grass like rabbit tails, swaying in the wind and threatening to scatter with every gust. The autumn chill has already woven its way into the air, but the weather was still clear and sunny, more like a June morning than the early October afternoon it was.

_Way too early_. Lavi glanced impatiently at his phone, but the clock on the lockscreen refused to budge. Half an hour more until the next class, which he could _bet_ would get dismissed after fifteen minutes again, leaving them to wait for the following one only to repeat the cycle. This entire first week so far was just a massive waste of time. Skipping the intro was not an option, though; there were always some pesky details discussed that no one ever thought to put in the damn syllabus. Annoying as it was, missing those little meetings would most likely bite him in the ass somewhere along the way. In the long run, it was better to stick through it – and so he did, sitting in an apathetic silence tucked into uncomfortable seats, committing to memory the lecturers’ names and faces along with the lists of requirements for their courses and all their little quirks that just might come in handy at some point.

A group of girls passed him by, talking loudly and bursting out with laughter as they disappeared around the corner. Lavi recognized them as his coursemates almost immediately. His overactive memorization skills were a real pain sometimes; they made it look like he gave a shit – maybe even entirely too much shit. In fact, all that those people were to him was just a bunch of trivia, just faces with names and a few random details tossed around in a casual conversation. And Lavi had no intention to get deeper than this. What was the use? Just looking at them those past few days, it was easy to tell at least a fifth would flake over the semester, and of those that remained only another handful would be worth wasting a breath on. Luckily, the group didn’t seem to be keen on any integration bullshit, either. Most of them disappeared somewhere as soon as they were out the door, leaving Lavi to pass the rest of the time on his own.

Not that he had any idea what to do. The faculty building didn’t have that much to offer, and he had already explored its three meager floors on the very first day. Loitering around other faculties just seemed awkward without excuse to be there. The library was tempting, but he knew himself too well to risk losing the track of time there when he still had classes to go to. Besides, the weather was much too nice to stay cooped up inside. Lavi took a deep breath of the crisp air and looked around again, searching for anything to latch onto. His brain was about to dry up from boredom, and the quiet campus grounds weren’t helping. Aside from him there were only a few other people lounging outside. Usually, Lavi quite enjoyed observing random strangers wherever he went, but this time he could be just as well watching the grass grow. The assortment was no fun at all: a tall bald dude with huge headphones keeping to himself by the side entrance; a pale woman knitting the world’s longest sock under the sickly weeping willow across the pathway; and a bunch of people in lab coats slumped over cups of instant noodles on the stairs of the Faculty of Science. Lavi stared at them almost enviously – looked like they at least had something going on already.

He had half the mind to simply set an alarm and take a nap right where he was sitting, decorum be damned, when someone plopped down on the grass just a few steps from him. Lavi turned that way, his interest immediately piqued when he saw the guy’s stark white hair. It wasn’t hard to spot the entire damn rainbow around _this_ faculty, but white was a first. Looked good on him, too.

The guy rummaged in his bag, setting aside a few notebooks that got in his way, some loose pens and pencils, and more snacks than Lavi thought possible to fit in such a limited space. Finally, he pulled out a small box; Lavi watched with growing curiosity as he flipped it open with one hand to pluck out a deck of cards while mindlessly tossing everything else back in the bag with the other. Dude was quite dexterous, he had to give him that. And doing it in gloves, no less – why was he even wearing gloves in this weather? Weird kid. What’s he gonna do with these, anyway? Play Patience?

The dry rattle of riffled cards cut through the air like a flock of pigeons taking wing. The kid bent the deck in his hands, making a neat bridge before shuffling them overhand, impossibly fast. He cut the deck with the tip of his finger and pushed it over, balancing one packet on the edge of the other just for a moment, then let it drop back into his open palm and tapped the deck flush again, only to flick a few cards up in the air in a rapid succession. Lavi leaned forward, now openly staring, as the airborne cards spun like pinwheels before the white-haired guy caught them all again in one fluid move. How the hell was he doing this?

Even with the unwavering focus on his hands, Lavi couldn’t miss the amused glance that the guy shot him back; he must have noticed his interest, because next he held the deck up with a smile, as if to say: _watch this_. The cards cascaded down, gliding through his hands like led on a string. As soon as they landed back in his hand, he cut and flipped them again, tossing them sideways so they slid on their edges like water over the mill wheel. Lavi watched, mesmerized, trying his best to keep track of the kid’s gestures, but he was too quick to take a good look. His fingers danced over the corners, sometimes just barely touching the paper, smooth, nimble and graceful. They got even faster now, and yet the guy kept looking up to meet Lavi’s eye every now and then, obviously pleased to have an audience. He set the deck up for another trick, squeezing the sides and sending the cards up in a high arc over his head – but this time, they did not reach their destination. A sudden gust knocked them down, fluttering to the ground like feathers from a shot swan. Lavi couldn’t help the disappointed groan that escaped him; the guy just laughed, though – a short, embarrassed chuckle as he sat in the grass with his dandelion-white hair blowing in the wind, picking up the cards scattered around.

He was done before Lavi finished wondering if he should go help him. Their eyes met once more, and there was that smile again, sweet and cocky and maybe a bit uncertain, or maybe it was just the sun playing tricks on him. Lavi cleared his throat, swallowing down the tickling sensation he just felt.

“Nice show,” he started, but the guy was already looking past him.

“There you are! We’ve been looking everywhere for you!” came a voice from behind Lavi’s back.

“Sorry, Lena! I’m coming!” The white-haired magician jumped to his feet, shoving his deck back into the bag and brushing the grass off his backside. He paused just for a moment to give Lavi a little bow with his hand pressed to his chest, and sprinted off across the lawn. Lavi followed him with his eye as he joined a dark-haired girl by the entrance; then, something else caught his sight.

Laying in the grass just within his arm’s reach was a single playing card.

Lavi picked it up almost without thinking. An ace of spades – a pretty cool one, with a nice, artsy design in the center. Must have missed it. He raised his eye again, but the guy and his companion were nowhere to be seen. Of course. Lavi ran his thumb over the crisp edge, turning the card in his fingers like he had just seen. It didn’t want to spin so well. With a snort, he tucked it into his pocket and checked the time again. He’d better get going. It was starting to get chilly, anyway.

Maybe he’ll still catch that kid somewhere. He _had_ to ask how to do those tricks.

 

***

The faculty library was one of the saddest places Lavi had ever seen. Surely books deserved better than _this_. The dusty air constantly buzzed with the muffled voices coming from the corridor. The bookshelves were few and cramped close together, plunged in their own shadows thanks to the strategically placed lamps overhead. There wasn’t even a separate reading room, just a few long desks and computer stations taking up a lowered section of the floor. The place was nowhere near as awesome as the spacious, futuristic building of the main branch – but sometimes, it just had to do. Unfortunately, that’s where most of his basic reading list could be found.

Lavi frowned, straining his eye to read the small print on the worn-out book spines. The bright light from the fluorescent tubes was starting to give him a headache. His arms were sore, too, weighed down with the unwieldy stack of books he had gathered so far. This time, by some miracle, no doubt, he managed to get his hands on everything he needed – but still he lingered, slowly making rounds through the neighbouring sections in search for something interesting for later. For such pitiful conditions, they actually had quite a nice collection here, he had to admit. He dragged his finger over the spines, stepping sideways along the next bookshelf. Essays, plays, essays, plays, a biography, more essays, an anthology of plays, journals, essays, essays— _shit!_

Lavi yelped and stumbled as he bumped into someone in the narrow aisle. The books balanced in his arms swayed a little; he managed to steady them with his chin, turning awkwardly to glare at the roadhog in his way.

White hair. Red scar. A small, shy smile.

Lavi nearly dropped his books after all.

“Sorry,” the white-haired kid muttered. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“Nah, it’s fine, I didn’t see you either.” Lavi shrugged his shoulder, destabilizing his little tower again. “You’re looking for something?”

“Yes, ummm…” He glanced at the crumpled snippet in his hand, then back up at Lavi. “Andrew Gurr, _The Shakespearian Stage_. Do you know where it is? The catalogue says it should be in this section, but I can’t find it.”

“Hold on…” Lavi scanned the bookshelf as the oddly familiar name thumped at the back of his mind. “Oh, here it is! I thought I’ve seen it just now.” He reached up and pulled a fatigued hardback down from the top shelf. “Shakespeare, huh? So, you’re in English Studies?”

“In Theatre Studies, actually.” The guy took the volume, his other hand shooting towards Lavi’s precarious stack to help him secure it. “I need it for my lectures on the history of theatre.”

“Oh, cool!” Lavi perked up in an instant, his nerdy gears springing into motion as they headed towards the reference desk. “I’m studying History, you know, in general. Maybe we could—“

“Please keep it down, will you?” The tall, dry lady behind the counter sent them a look so freezing that her glasses could frost over. His companion mouthed a sheepish “sorry”, and before Lavi could repeat his invitation, he gave him an apologetic smile and scurried towards the exit, cradling the checked out book to his chest.

“Wait!” Lavi called out on instinct. This time, the look he earned could burn down Hell itself. The librarian went on to chip away at his pile, methodically scanning one book after another. Lavi slumped down more and more with every volume. By the time he burst out of the door with his loot, the white-haired kid was gone again.

With a sigh, Lavi whacked his head against _Iron Age Britain_ , cursing under his breath as something died deep inside him.

He _really_ hated this library.

 

***

“…And then he said it was _my_ fault because he knows how to handle a sword and if I hadn’t tried to dodge like an idiot, it wouldn’t have happened.”

“He did have a point,” Link muttered. “Have you fixed the wall yet?”

“The blood washed off almost without a trace, and Alma stuck a poster over the crack for the time being.” Allen shrugged and leaned over to snatch another handful from the half-eaten packet of plain crackers in Link’s bag.

Link pinched the bridge of his nose with a deep sigh, letting the larceny go unnoticed.

“You can’t possibly stay with those two for the whole year. I know Alma meant well with that proposition, but…”

“I know, I know!” Allen grumbled. “This is only temporary, until something opens up at the dorms. It’s still better than staying with Cross.” He swallowed down the crackers and reached for more, digging his hand into Link’s bag without remorse. “Ugh, these taste like cardboard. Do you actually like them, or do you just get them so I wouldn’t take them?”

“You are still eating them, though,” Link pointed out, gently pulling him to the right as they started to climb the stairs. They weren’t even halfway to the first landing when a sudden yell ripped through the air somewhere above, raising even over the breaktime noise on the corridor.

“Say that again to my face, I dare you!”

Allen and Link exchanged confused glances. The buzz of conversations around them wilted into a stunned silence for a moment, then picked up again slowly as people shrugged the outburst off – but Allen was already hurrying upstairs, skipping two steps at a time. Link just shook his head and followed, taking this chance to push the sad remains of his crackers deeper into his bag.

When Allen reached the first floor, the source of the commotion became clear. In the middle of the corridor, surrounded by a small curious crowd, two guys have apparently come to a standstill in a shouting match, waving their arms aggressively as they kept cutting in each other’s sentences before they even started. Allen stopped at the top of the staircase, now intrigued even more.

That redhead looked awfully familiar.

“Are those your people?” Link asked, taking in the wide gestures and the pained expressions as the disputants raised their eyes to the ceiling in frustration.

“No…” Allen shook his head, vaguely offended. “But I do know that one… Kind of.” He leaned his shoulder against the wall, trying to make sense of the shredded argument. Were these guys serious, or just goofing off? They looked ridiculously over the top in their agitation, but it just made him wonder.

“ _All I’m saying_ ,” the redhead’s opponent finally made a break through the stalemate, “is that the significance of the Alexandrian Library nowadays is mostly symbolic. Yes, all right, it held a shitload of knowledge – but all that knowledge was _maybe_ cutting-edge back at the time! That’s over two thousand years ago, two thousand years of continuous advancement! Whatever they might have thought of back then, it’s gotta be inferior to what we know now, so objectively speaking, it’s not _that_ big of a loss.”

“And who are _you_ to decide that?” The redhead snarled, jabbing a finger into the guy’s chest. “How can you be so sure we hadn’t overlooked something that the ancients have figured out thousands of years ago?”

“Well, the ancients didn’t put the man on the moon, so I’m pretty sure we’re good.”

“But they were already studying it, too!” The redhead buried his face in his hands with an irritated groan. “Have you ever wondered how far we could be now if we hadn’t had to spend centuries recovering all the discoveries and formula that went forgotten since then? Math! Physics! Medicine! Architecture!” He counted on his fingers, thrusting them into his opponent’s face. “There’s so much shit that we don’t know, that we’ll _never_ know! How does that not bother you?”

There was something almost theatrical in him, Allen noticed, a dramatic flair that didn’t quite match up with how earnest he sounded. It was a little amusing, to tell the truth – but mostly endearing. People with passion usually were, even if they showed it in a bit of a crazy way.

“What the hell does it matter now?” The other guy shrugged, his voice shrill with annoyance. “We’ve moved on! Why do you need to know what they used against boils in ancient Egypt when we might find a cure for cancer any day now?”

“ _Why are you even studying history_?” the redhead howled. “Look, it doesn’t matter if we don’t _use_ it anymore, it’s still important! All that knowledge is a part of our culture. It makes up the world we live in right now. No matter how stupid, how _trivial_ you think it is, we can’t just toss it in the trash, okay? It’s all fucking connected – everything would be different now if people hadn’t lived their lives the way they had in the past.”

“That’s just some butterfly effect bullshit!” The other rolled his eyes, but the redhead was getting more and more fired up.

“It’s not! In some way, even the shit from thousands of years ago affects us directly, like it or not. We wouldn’t be researching the cure for cancer now if some guy in ancient Egypt hadn’t found the cure for boils. We wouldn’t even _be_ here arguing about this shit if some guys in the Middle Ages hadn’t thought to establish universities! There’s no escape from the past, definitely not just because you want to oh-so-conveniently _forget_ it! We’re a part of history in the making _right now_ , dammit, and it makes me sick to think it’s so full of ignorant idiots!”

“All right, that’s it, Bookman. I think we’re done here.” The guy waved his hand dismissively. “Come back when you learn to keep your emotions in check. Maybe one day we can have a good, _factual_ discussion.” He turned around with a huff and pushed himself through the circle of people. A few of them followed, throwing the redhead disapproving glares.

“Fine! I’ll kick your ass with cold, hard facts if that’s what you want!” the redhead called after him before storming off in the opposite direction. The remaining onlookers started to murmur among themselves, then laugh, and soon scattered into smaller groups, still discussing with amusement.

Allen stood there, turning everything he’d just heard in his mind. The redhead’s words struck a chord with him. _There’s no escape from the past_. Granted, they were talking about history – but it still stung.

“Well, that was messy,” Link observed, shaking his head with a sigh. “I have to wonder how they do in classes.” He noticed Allen’s blanked expression and frowned, leaning in to look him in the eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Ahh… No, nothing.” Allen shook himself off, his smile pale and embarrassed as he met Link’s stern gaze. “It’s just… It’s a little scary to think our past defines us so much, isn’t it? I mean, he’s right in a way, but… I like to think that what we do with what we’ve been given counts for more than how we had got it.”

“I think you’re taking it too personally,” Link pointed out, shouldering his bag as they resumed their climb upstairs. “History is hardly a matter of our individual experiences, after all.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Allen let out a strained, nervous laugh. “Or is it? When you really think about it, isn’t everything in life a matter of our individual experience?”

“Let me guess, did you have your first philosophy lecture recently?”

“It’s on Friday, but Lenalee already had one and she told me everything. Apparently the professor gives her the creeps.”

“That, I can believe,” Link admitted, stopping by a door just off the staircase. “I’m headed to class now. You have a free period after this one, correct?”

Allen fished his phone out of his pocket and swiped through his docs.

“I think… Yes. How do you already know my schedule better than I do?” he groaned.

“I like to be well-informed. I’ll see you then.” With a nod, Link slid into his classroom, leaving Allen out on a slowly emptying corridor.

As he scurried along to join his own class, Allen couldn’t help but look around, peeling his eyes for the familiar mop of red hair. The guy’s words still rang in his ears, and the longer he dwelled on them, the more uncomfortable they became. He recognized this sentiment all too well, no matter how hard he had fought it – this deep, desperate conviction that the past makes people what they are.

Why was this guy clinging to it so much?

Allen’s stomach tightened at the thought, too hopeful to even try and grasp it.

Maybe he finally found someone who would _understand_.

 

***

The Law Faculty had a fucking indoor pond in the lobby.

Lavi snorted, just like every time he came there, staring at the narrow well of water bubbling within a low, wide embankment in the middle of the floor. It always cracked him up. An actual fucking pond, not the kind that appeared in the lobby at _their_ faculty every time it rained. He passed it by, craning his head to peer into the rippling water. _Of course_ there were fish in it. This place was ridiculous.

He climbed the stairs and slipped into the crowd of overdressed people in the hall. The posh atmosphere in there never failed to make him cringe. Seriously, why would you go to the classes in a tie? Lavi strained to keep himself from rolling his eye as he made his way to the glass door of the cafeteria. Whatever he might say, they did have the best coffee there, and that made all this chrome and granite bullshit just about worth putting up with.

He collected his order and stepped back from the counter, looking around in search of a free table. Most of them were occupied by suited-up dudes with laptops, taking up way more space than necessary. Lavi was just about to give up and leave when suddenly he spotted a familiar scarred face. He paused, peering across the room just to make sure, but the white hair and the distinct red mark on the cheek were unmistakable. The guy looked right at home here in his pristine white shirt and grey waistcoat, and yet his bright smile and unassuming posture set him apart from the snobbish crowd all around.

Lavi started to head his way, meandering among the tables. Finally, they could get a chance to talk –though he wasn’t quite sure yet how to start the conversation. _Hey, those card tricks I’ve seen you doing last month were damn cool_. _How’s it going, have you finished that Shakespeare book yet?_ Crass. Lavi racked his brain for a good opening, but halfway to the table, the problem solved itself on its own: the guy was not alone.

Lavi came to a screeching halt as soon as he noticed the unexpected companion, hidden up until that point behind a pillar: a short blond with a collar stiffer than his upper lip and a long braid that didn’t match this prim and proper look at all. They both seemed to be engaged in a lively discussion, showing each other something on their phones and inhaling doughnuts from a cardboard box in front of them. Lavi’s shoulders slumped, but he still had to go that way to reach the exit.

And maybe, just _maybe_ , he pricked up his ears a little as he passed by.

“How about styrofoam?” The white-haired guy poked his screen and passed the phone to his friend.

“Too bulky.” The blond shook his head with a frown. “But I’ll look into it if I don’t find any other option.”

“Right. You still have over two weeks, though.” He leaned over to grab a doughnut and Lavi found himself looking right in his eyes.

_Shit, just how obvious was he_?

The guy looked surprised, but answered Lavi’s nervous smile with one of his own. Lavi quickly averted his gaze, took a gulp of his coffee and powerwalked through the door, narrowly missing the glass wall.

His ears burned all the way back to the faculty, even in the nippy November wind.

 

***

The corridors at their faculty were long and narrow, giving off a nearly claustrophobic vibe. It had taken Allen a while to get used to it, and even a good month into the academic year, he still didn’t feel entirely comfortable when they filled with people. He preferred to come in early – or, in extreme cases, be tardy – as long as it meant he didn’t have to push through the packed crowd to get to class. All right, so this morning he might have overdone it a little, but between Kanda getting into one of his moods again and their neighbours’ liberal use of the drill since the crack of dawn, he honestly couldn’t get out of the house soon enough.

Surprisingly, though, even at such an ungodly hour he wasn’t there alone. As he emerged from the staircase on the second floor, a tall silhouette loomed in sight at the other end of the hall. With the dim light and the distance between them, it wasn’t until Allen came closer that he recognized the guy: the redheaded history nerd.

Allen’s chest tightened with surprised excitement. The heated words he had overheard a couple weeks earlier still rang in his head far more often than he’d like it. He wanted to talk to this guy – to ask him – to find out if he really thought all that, and _why_. His legs started moving before he could think this through, pulling him towards the redhead. He didn’t seem to notice him yet, too preoccupied with pinning something to the notice board. Allen barely stopped himself from picking up the pace; it would be weird to come barreling at a virtual stranger out of the blue. He was just four doors down the hall now… Three… Two…

The redhead pinned up the last note, turned around and jogged down the stairs without noticing him.

Allen stopped dead in his tracks, his stomach twisted with disappointment. Another chance went by right under his nose. Maybe that’s for the better? He didn’t want to bother the guy, after all. Damn it, if only he hadn’t been in such a hurry when they met that day at the library…

With a sigh, Allen started walking again, dragging his feet along the floor until he reached the notice board. He paused there, raising his head to give it a curious once-over. Just what could that redhead post there? Allen’s eyes slid over the near-empty corkboard, passing the timetables, office contact info, and the same old notes he’d seen already:

_Full list of universities available in the international student exchange program will be posted in January. Eligible candidates will be decided by the end of the summer term based on their GPA._

_english grammer text books 4 sale conditin good_

_Let our weekend parties at The Ark blow you away! Admission with student ID -20%_

_All students are reminded that wild boars roaming near the dorms are not to be fed or otherwise engaged._

_Behold the field in which I cultivate my fucks. Lay thine eyes upon it and see that it is barren._

Allen snorted with laughter. The last one was a new addition and no doubt the work of the redhead. Only a history student could think to put up Bayeux tapestry memes on the faculty board. There were others, too: bizarre pictures from medieval manuscripts, a Reformation pun, and a few macros that made Allen realize classical paintings could look very sassy when taken out of context. He shook his head with a smile and snapped a quick photo of the board before setting off on the way to his classroom.

He hadn’t taken the redhead for one to have a sense of humour, but it was a rather pleasant discovery.

 

***

Lavi’s footsteps thumped on the tiled floor as he strode through the hall, rushing to get to the library before the crowd. His class got dismissed early, earning him a few precious minutes. Maybe this time, he’ll finally manage to get on a computer that wouldn’t take the entire breaktime just to boot up. He rounded the corner and was already on the last stretch, when his eye fell on the white-haired guy by the vending machine.

Lavi hesitated just for a second, then changed his course.

The guy collected his change and a can of soda from the drawer. He looked both ways, whistled innocently, and gave the machine a solid kick in the side. A packet of crisps half-stuck in one of the coils slipped down and fell into the hatch.

Lavi sped up.

The guy retrieved his loot and straightened up. Their eyes met. Lavi opened his mouth, raising his hand in an uncertain greeting.

And then, the door on his left opened and the white-haired guy vanished from his sight, swallowed up by the crowd spilling from the lecture hall.

***

The first snow fell early this year, wet and short-lived, turning into mud as soon as it touched the earth. The windows in the faculty cafeteria were all fogged up from the stuffy air filled with the greasy smell of fries. Allen wiped his face with his hand and sighed. He’d only been here a minute, and he already felt uncomfortably sweaty in his gloves. This place was like a sauna!

He turned to the windows, looking to let in some air, but they were already all tilted open as wide as possible. That’s when he saw him again, as his eyes swept over the crowded, noisy room. By now, Allen had almost grown used to the sudden pull in his stomach every time he spotted that freckled face and the unruly mop of bright red hair. They just kept stumbling upon each other, week after week, all around the campus—

“Hey, Allen! Quit spacing out!”

— and yet, they never seemed to get the chance to meet.

“Ah, sorry, what?” Allen turned back to Lenalee, torn out of his thoughts.

“I said, are you staying here for Christmas?” she repeated, measuring him with a cautious glance. “I know it’s hard for you, so if you need anything…”

“No, I’ll be fine, thank you,” Allen said quickly, resting his elbows on the sticky tabletop. “I— I don’t know yet. I want to go visit… But for the most part, I think I’ll stay here, yes.”

“I see.” Lenalee nodded, cupping her hands around her coffee. “Kanda and Alma are going home, right?”

“Yes, Kanda’s father had already called him about that at least three times.” Allen snickered, remembering his flatmate’s face as he tried his damnedest to wriggle out of those conversations.

“Poor Yuu,” Lenalee deadpanned. “That’s what he gets for not calling him in two months straight. If they go there, he won’t let them out before New Year for sure. Are you really going to be okay on your own? You could always drop by us, you know.”

Allen shook his head, eyes fixed on the stained plywood.

“I don’t want to intrude… Besides, if I’m lucky, I’ll be moving out of there after the break. I have to be here.”

“Really? That’s great, good luck!” Lenalee beamed, bouncing a little on the lumpy seat. “Maybe we’ll be neighbours!”

“That would be great, wouldn’t it?” Allen chuckled. “I’d much rather share the bathroom with you than with Kanda. He takes ages to wash his hair!” He took Lenalee’s cup and sneaked a sip of the now lukewarm coffee, wincing as the bitter taste crawled down his throat. Not a good way to remember why he hadn’t got one for himself. He’d give a lot for a latte from the Law Faculty cafeteria right now, but in such a weather, it just wasn’t worth walking all the way down there.

Allen’s eyes wandered again, once more drawn to the redhead in the far corner. He was hunched over a book, absent-mindedly chewing on fries from a paper tray in front of him. That was how Allen would see him usually: engrossed in something, curious, focused—

And alone.

He was always alone, to the point where Allen had to wonder if maybe he just preferred it that way. Was he that busy? Or did he simply not enjoy company? Would it bother him if Allen came up and struck up a conversation? It bugged him to no end, and the longer he watched the redhead, the more he wanted to know.

Coming across him so often was not the only reason he looked familiar.

 

***

Lavi stepped into the auditorium, pulled by the flow of the crowd around him. It was a joint lecture for three courses, and he had never noticed just how many people attended it – but this was also the first time when he was not abysmally late, forced to sneak into the room and slouch in one of the drooping, broken seats off to the side.

He followed his coursemates up the seating area and slid into one of the unoccupied middle rows. It was a good spot, close enough to hear everything well and far enough that he didn’t have to pretend to listen too hard. It also had a decent view on the rest of the hall, something that Lavi could definitely appreciate in the face of a rather monotonous lecture. Leaning on his elbows against the rickety writing table, he watched the rows below slowly fill up with a steady stream of students.

And among them was the one person he did not expect to be there.

Lavi straightened up in his seat as the familiar scarred face appeared in the crowd near the door. With almost two hundred people in a huge lecture hall that he never got to take a good look at before, it wasn’t that surprising he had missed the guy until now – but _damn_. If this was how the Universe decided to punish him for neglecting his duties, it was way too mean.

The white-haired guy paused at the bottom of the stairs, looking around indecisively. Lavi almost wanted to stand up and wave at him, but stopped himself at the last moment. Instead, he fixed his eye on him, holding his breath and hoping that his silent stare will be enough for the guy notice him.

And somehow, it worked.

The guy smiled and started to pick his way towards him, climbing the stairs one step at a time through the sluggish stream of people. Lavi kept his eye on him, almost afraid to blink, as if he were going to vanish the moment he let him out of sight. He was just a few steps down when a group walking in front of him turned abruptly and filed into Lavi’s row, taking the last free seats next to him.

It happened too quickly for him to react. An annoyed grimace flashed through the white-haired guy’s face, just for a second as he moved past him and further up the aisle. Lavi turned around, following him with his eye over the packed back rows. Not a chance to even swap seats now – all that was left were just single spots here and there. He watch the guy squeeze through to one of them, almost all the way up, painfully far away. Their eyes met again, and he raised one gloved hand to give Lavi a little wave. Lavi replied in kind, feeling a little bit silly and oddly delighted. For the rest of the lecture, he had a hard time keeping himself from turning around over and over, with bitter disappointment gnawing at his stomach as he sat there and listened to their philosophy professor drone on about determinism.

Later, he lingered by the door for as long as he could, waiting as the crowd spilled past him, jostled him and shoved at his backpack. He stayed behind until the masses thinned out, letting him see more clearly. But no matter how much he peered and craned his neck, the white-haired guy was nowhere to be seen.

 

***

Another yawn bloomed in Allen’s throat, making his eyes water even more than they already did in the freezing December wind. He didn’t think going one day without coffee would be this hard. Oh, Link will so get an earful for getting him addicted. Still, skipping his daily trip to the Law cafeteria was definitely going to be worth it. Even with the grogginess fogging up his brain, Allen couldn’t miss the redhead sitting by the window in their faculty lobby every Tuesday morning. He had passed him like that at least four times already, but no matter how quick Allen tried to be, the redhead was always gone by the time he got back.

So this time, he decided to go straight for him and hope for the best – which was a tall order in his pre-caffeine state.

Allen walked into the lobby, carefully wiping his boots before heading to the small self-study area near the entrance. It wasn’t much, just a few tables and chairs scattered around a bright niche with one of the walls taken up entirely by a huge window. Since it opened right to the main hall, _actual_ studying didn’t stand much of a chance there, but it was still a convenient meeting point and a nice place where many people often spent their breaks.

This morning, no one was there.

Allen’s stomach sank a little as he took in the empty seats. He checked his phone, wondering if maybe he got there earlier than usually, but the clock mercilessly showed twenty minutes past nine. The redhead should be there – and yet, on the very day that Allen had finally braced himself to talk to him – he wasn’t there.

With a heavy sigh, Allen dropped onto the nearest chair and leaned back, staring off into the cracked ceiling. His legs tapped a nervous rhythm as he kept glancing between the hall and the main door. Maybe he’ll come later. There was still some time before the next period. Half past nine. Wasn’t it a bit weird to be waiting here for him like this? Twenty minutes to ten, shit, the class is about to start. Allen snatched his bag and ran for the staircase, nearly knocking the chair over behind him.

Just his luck.

*

Lavi shivered as he entered his faculty lobby, the sudden gust of warm air immediately making his nose run. Now he wished he had stayed there, maybe found a cozy spot by the radiator in the self-study area and curled up there with a book like he always did after his morning half-period. Instead, he spent the break roaming around like a maniac out in that freezing hell – and all for nothing, of course. Well, okay, at least he got some decent coffee to warm himself up, but that wasn’t even why he went to the Law Faculty cafeteria in the first place. He was nothing if not observant; he _knew_ that white-haired kid liked drinking there far more often that it was good for his blood pressure; he had spotted him there enough times to see a pattern – and yet, on the very day that Lavi had finally pulled himself together—

A few steps ahead of him, the boy he was looking for zoomed across his way, heavy footsteps echoing up the staircase as he vanished from sight.

 

***

Christmas had been whiter than anyone had dreamed in a long time, and January rolled in with even lower temperatures and more heavy snowfall. It was yet another reason that made Lavi glad to be back for classes: up there by the sea, the iron grasp of winter felt ever so milder than back at home. Another plus was that Gramp’s iron grasp didn’t quite reach there, either. One week of his nagging was already more than he could take after three months away – though Lavi quietly suspected it was also because his old man must have missed having someone to nag.

The wind picked up, blowing the tiny icy needles right into his face. Lavi sank deeper into his scarf, wincing at the moist warmth condensing over his mouth with every breath he took. If his nose doesn’t freeze off before he gets to the dorms, he’d consider it a miracle. Luckily, it wasn’t much farther now, though the snow piling up on the barely trodden path was slowing him down quite a bit. Lavi sighed with relief as he passed the ruined mesh fence and turned onto a shoveled walkway under the flickering orange shine of the streetlamps. He followed it further among the apartment blocks, past the gym and the club, and then across the snow-buried lawn, until he finally rounded the corner of his dorm building.

And there, he wasn’t alone anymore.

Lavi stopped dead in his tracks, blinking the falling snowflakes out of his eye. The blizzard had eased off slightly, the wind calmed down for a moment, and the white dust raising from the drifts around him had settled.

It gave him a clear view on the huge boar standing right in the middle of his path.

He had heard the stories, of course; didn’t believe half of them, but it was pretty much common knowledge that boars were definitely a thing around the dorms. They would come to rummage through the rubbish, look for acorns near under the trees, or simply cut through there on their way to wherever a wild hairy pig could be headed.

This particular one was currently headed straight for Lavi.

Lavi let out a long, whiny groan, watching the boar leisurely trot up the walkway towards him. He wasn't good with animals by any stretch of imagination. Even domesticated creatures wreaked havoc on him whenever he came near – there was no way he would stand a chance against a wild beast in its natural habitat.

The boar came closer. It was still a good way from him, and in a stroke of panicked inspiration, Lavi wondered how hard it could be to outrun it. The entrance to his dorm was maybe a couple hundred meters behind his back. If he could get his key and open it quickly enough…

“Don’t move.”

The sudden voice off to his right almost made Lavi jump out of his skin. He turned his head slowly, reluctant to take his eye off the menace in front of him. Honestly, with his amazing luck tonight, it wouldn’t surprise him if he was about to be robbed at knifepoint.

Familiar steel-grey eyes looked right back at him, calm and bright.

“Stay still,” the white-haired guy said, his voice soft like the snow clinging to the fur rim of his hood. “No sudden movements.”

“All right,” Lavi nodded, shifting his gaze back to the boar, which also stopped for a moment to assess this new development of the situation. “And what if _he_ makes a sudden movement at us?”

“He won’t, unless we give him a reason to.” The guy inched closer and lightly tugged at Lavi’s sleeve, motioning towards the gap between the apartment blocks where must have come from. Lavi’s stomach, already tight with nerves, now clenched even more. “Come on, let’s go this way. Slowly.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to just shoo him away?” Lavi asked, shuffling his feet on the slippery snow with some difficulty. He didn’t even make two steps before the boar huffed, trotted up a bit and lowered his head.

“Shit.” The white haired guy sounded disturbingly breathless. “He’s going to charge.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Lavi whipped his head to look at him, wide-eyed with panic. He didn’t wait for an answer, though – just grabbed the guy by the wrist and dragged him along as he took off running.

“What…?”

“Run!” Lavi yelled simply, making a mad dash for the dorm door. There was no time to try and unlock it; with a well-timed jump, Lavi kicked himself off the windowsill on the ground floor and clambered onto the small roof over the entrance. He reached out his hand, but the white-haired guy didn’t need any help, already climbing after him with the grace of a trained acrobat. They settled down carefully, keeping close to the building and brushing some of the piled-up snow over the edge.

“That was close.” Lavi leaned his back against the wall and looked over his companion uncertainly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” The guy shook his head with a smile. “Though I’d never thought I’d have to make my own _exit, pursued by the boar_.”

“Right,” Lavi chuckled. “Not the way I wanted to end my day, either. I’m Lavi, by the way. Lavi Bookman.”

“Allen Walker.” His handshake was brief, but firm, and oddly warm – or maybe that was the gloves.

“Walker, huh? I’d say you’re a pretty good runner, too.”

“I’ve had a lot of practice,” Allen laughed. He shifted closed and peeked down at the boar, still circling in front of the building and rootling about with his hooves. “How long do you think he’s going to be here?”

“No idea.” Lavi shrugged. “All I know about boars is that the ancient Celts considered them one of the most sacred animals.”

“Great, does _he_ know about it? Maybe he’ll leave us alone if we make an offering.”

“I’m afraid that would only make him more interested.” Lavi sighed, resting his head against the bumpy concrete behind him. Below them, the boar grunted and rammed his tusks into one of the metal posts.

“It’s bound to get bored eventually, right?” Allen’s worried eyes bounced between the animal and Lavi.

“Probably. I hope so. Or I could read out my philosophy notes and put him to sleep.” Lavi muttered.

“I do not condone animal cruelty,” Allen snorted. “And I’m surprised you even have any notes. I’ve only seen you in one lecture the entire semester.”

“I’ve been to all of them! Just late,” Lavi protested indignantly.

“Late? I though historians would have a better grasp on time.”

“We’re used to handling _centuries_ , man. Who’d be concerned about fifteen minutes?”

Allen raised his eyebrows, more and more amused.

“Are your professors also laid back like this?”

“Some of them are.” Lavi rubbed his numb hands to warm them up a bit. “What, are you telling me Theatre Studies is full of sticklers?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” Allen chuckled. “Theatre people can be awfully particular. And demanding.”

“You’re kidding." Lavi shook his head with a laugh. “I’ve always thought that’s one of those casual courses.”

“Well, I’ve always thought History is sensible and serious. First impressions can be deceiving.”

“True, that. I had also thought this roof would make a great hiding place.” His teeth chattering, Lavi curled up against the wall, hugging his legs close to his chest. “Now I’m not so sure anymore.”

“Don’t worry, it looks like we won’t have to stay here much longer.” Allen carefully poked his head over the edge and peeked down. “I think our piggy friend is losing interest.”

Lavi leaned out to take a look from the other side. Indeed, the boar was straying further and further from the entrance, leaving a wide trail of chaotic hoofprints all over the lawn. Minutes passed as they watched it, quiet and motionless just to be safe, until finally the animal trotted away towards the woods behind the dorms.

“All clear,” Lavi called in a hushed voice and slowly started to climb down, grasping at the downpipe as he tried to find foothold. When he got to the ground, Allen was already going about unlocking the door.

“Wait, what?” Lavi stared in disbelief at the key in his hand. “You live here, too?”

“Oh, is— Is this your dorm?” Allen looked back at him with surprise and held the door open. They entered the dark, silent hall, their voices echoing a little in the empty space.

“No way! How’s that even possible?” Lavi went on as they climbed the narrow staircase, brushing the remains of snow off their shoulders. “I’ve seen you all around the campus, but _never_ here!”

“Well, I only moved here recently,” Allen explained. “I was on the waiting list since October. Apparently people give up their rooms or get thrown out all the time, but I only got a spot at the start of this month. It’s this one, by the way.” He stopped at the first door on the left and fumbled for his key.

Lavi’s jaw dropped.

“Mine’s just down there, number 49! We’re almost neighbours!” He dragged his hand down his face and snickered. “This is crazy.”

“Feel free to visit sometimes.” Allen smiled, pulling the door open. Lavi instantly shoved his head in to take a look.

“Wow, you got a single? Man, that’s lucky. Wanna trade? My roommate keeps stealing my headbands, that bastard. And he tried to keep a pet frog for like a week before it escaped. We still haven’t found it.”

“My friend whose flat I had stayed at before tried to run me through with a sword once,” Allen laughed. “I think I’ve had enough roommates for a while.”

“Yikes.” Lavi winced. “Yeah, I guess you could use some peace and quiet. So… See you around, then?”

“Sure.” Allen nodded, the smile never leaving his lips. “We could go for coffee sometime.”

“I’d like that.” Lavi grinned into his scarf. “How about we cram for the philosophy exam together?”

“Sounds great! Just drop by when you have a moment. Now you know where to find me.” Allen gave him a little wave and backed into his room, one hand lingering on the handle. Lavi cleared his throat and nodded quickly before turning away and shuffling on down the corridor, his neck and cheeks burning red.

He had to change out of these warm clothes before he melted.


	2. Teamwork

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 - connection, shared loss, teamwork

“I can’t believe my first exam is on Valentine’s Day!”

“Oh? Did you have plans?” Allen tilted his head, a touch of surprise in his voice.

“Well, not really…” Lenalee sighed with a pout. “But I know more pleasant ways to spend Valentine’s than a two hours date with Samuel Beckett! Ugh, I’m so jealous of you, Allen. You only have, what, three exams this semester?”

“Sorry.” Allen gave her a sheepish smile, pausing to hold the door open as they filed out of the faculty building and into the soppy February cold. “It’s not my fault most of my subjects only get graded at the end of the year.”

“It’s the same for me,” Link nodded, his words muffled a little by his high collar. “Though we do have to write a lot of papers instead. How is your studying going?”

“I’m doing fine with revisions, but it’s still stressful. It’s my very first exam session, after all.” Lenalee hopped over a shoveled heap of snow and onto the trodden walkway, effortlessly keeping up on the slippery path even in her high-heeled boots. “I’ve heard that the practical grammar exams are tough and a lot of people don't pass them. But I don’t have to worry about that until next week. First, it’s Brit Lit next Tuesday. And when do you start, Lavi?”

“Huh?” Lavi blinked, taken by surprise by the question. It took him a moment to register she was talking to him. “Sorry, what?”

“When’s your first exam?” Lenalee turned around, never breaking her step as she balanced on the curb.

“Oh. Thursday. Philosophy,” he blurted, sinking deeper into the thick wool of his scarf. He’d been hanging out with Allen and his friends for a few weeks now, but he still wasn’t quite used to being a part of the conversation. It was different than class discussions – though in what way, he wasn’t sure, either.

“You have that exam, too, don’t you?” Link turned to Allen, scanning him with a questioning look. “Have you studied for it at all yet?”

“Of course!” Allen cried out with all the theatrical flair he could muster. “We’ve been cramming for days. Lavi even lent me his notes!” he added, turning to the redhead with a grateful smile.

“It’s nothing, really,” Lavi muttered, his face heating up under the scarf.

“It means a lot, though. Thank you for all the help.” Allen’s smile got even brighter, and Lavi felt the snow under his feet melt a little.

“Oh hey, that’s right. Look,” he snapped out of it, holding up the thick book he had almost forgot under his arm. “This here is gonna help us even more. It’s the one Professor Sheril uses the most to prepare his lectures. I borrowed it from him until the exam.”

“Really?” Allen stared at him wide-eyed, steamy breaths rising from his open mouth. “He just gave it to you like that? I thought he hated everyone in this class!”

“Come on, Allen. Don’t underestimate me like this.” Lavi smirked, playfully tapping the volume on Allen’s shoulder. “Every professor likes students who take interest in their subject… Or at least appear to.”

“So you pretend to care just to get in your teacher’s good graces? Very mature,” Link scoffed. “At least put this unlawful gain in your backpack.”

“It won’t _fit_ in my backpack!” Lavi pulled a face, protectively cradling the book to his chest. “And it’s not unlawful. Let’s go, Allen. We’ll find someplace where they won’t insult us.”

“Where are you going?” Lenalee asked as the two of them veered off the walkway and slowly started to pick their way through the piled snow. “You’re not headed back to the dorms?”

“We’re going to the mall first,” Allen explained, nodding his head in the general direction of the tram stops. “I’m out of shampoo and a few other things, and they don’t have toiletries in our supermarket. Did you want to come with us?”

“I have to go back to studying.” Lenalee shook her head with a sigh. “Say hi to the bunnies at the pet shop from me!”

“Awww, but we won’t be stopping by the pet shop. Just the chemist’s.”

“You always say that. And you always stop there.” Lenalee laughed. “All right, see you tomorrow! Have fun!”

“Good luck studying! Take care” Allen called after her as she trotted to catch up with Link by the parking lot.

Lavi followed Allen into the dark underpass, and back up into the snowy brightness at the stop. As they emerged, the tram was just rounding the corner, screeching to a halt on the frozen rails. The door opened with a hiss, the warmed air from the inside hitting them in the face.

“I have to say, you’re really good at pretending,” Allen observed as they made their way through the narrow aisle and squeezed into a free bench. “All this time, I thought you actually enjoyed philosophy.”

“I enjoy it when it’s applicable.” Lavi shrugged, absent-mindedly leafing through the book in his hands. “I like studying it in the context of its period. It’s fascinating how people’s thinking was shaped by the political and economic situation at the time – and how their ideas influenced the politics and economy further on. But on its own? It’s pointless. Just a pile of lofty drivel spouted by privileged snobs who had nothing better to do than sit on their ass all day and ponder.”

“True enough,” Allen chuckled. “Apparently in the past, scholars had more spare time than us now. I bet they didn’t know exam sessions back then!”

“I know, right? It hasn’t even started and I already can’t wait to be done with it!” Lavi slumped in his seat, resting his head against the fogged window. “We’ll have to go skating again when it’s over. I _will_ get the hang of it eventually, I can’t be worse than a T-rex… Oh shit, have I even showed you the skating T-rex?”

“The skating T-rex?” Allen looked at him with confusion. “No… I don’t think I've seen it. I would remember.”

“Damn, man, you have to watch it!” Lavi pulled his backpack into his lap and started to dig through it, nearly pushing his entire head inside before he finally found his phone. “Hold on, I should have it in my favourites somewhere… Oh yeah, here you go. I swear, it will change your life.”

“It can’t be _that_ good,” Allen snorted, leaning in closer to have a better look at the small screen. Lavi smirked, puffing at the white hair that tickled his cheek.

“Wanna bet?” He bumped his head into Allen’s and turned up the sound to get through the clatter of the moving tram car. The soft violin music rose from the speaker with rustling and crackling.

“All right, it _is_ a bit… Oh my god. _What_. Stop shaking it!” Allen cupped his hand around the phone as Lavi erupted in a fit of laughter. “How is that even… Why? Lavi, pull yourself together, that’s our stop!”

“Crap!” Lavi grabbed his backpack and pushed through to the exit, popping out of the crowded tram like a cork from a bottle. He moved aside quickly, weaving his way through the drifts and the people on the walkway. Here in the city center, the snow had mostly gave way to slush and mud, but there was still enough of it piled alongside the curb to make walking troublesome.

“It’s starting to snow again,” Allen noticed, holding out his hand as they stopped at the crosswalk. “Give me that book, I’ll put it in my bag so it won’t get wet. I should have thought of it sooner.”

“Good idea.” Lavi nodded – and went stiff a second later as his brain experienced the mental equivalent of misstepping on a staircase.

“Shit,” he muttered, looking down at his empty hands and back up at Allen. “I left it on the tram. He’s gonna kill me.”

“What?!” Allen whipped around, shooting a panicked glance at the distant tail lights up ahead. “Oh, no… Where’s the next stop? Can we still catch it if we take this one?” He pointed his thumb at the approaching tram, straining his eyes to read its route plate from afar.

“This line doesn’t go there.” Lavi shook his head, drumming his fingers on the timetable at the back of the shelter. “But it says here the one we’d just taken should reach the terminus in fifteen minutes… And if we take number 5, we’ll get there in twenty-three, so maybe it will still be there. How does it sound?”

“Let’s try,” Allen sighed. “I guess that’s better than chasing it.”

As it turned out, though, the timetable was more of a wishful approximation than a reliable itinerary. Before their new tram slogged its way through the snowfall and the traffic, it had already been much longer than twenty three minutes. As soon as they stopped at the terminus, Allen and Lavi shot out of the door and frantically started to look around the tramcars stationed there.

“We had taken a 7 to the mall, right?” Allen asked, pacing along the rails and peering at the number plates behind the windshields. “I don’t see any 7s here. Maybe it got stuck in the traffic too?”

“Let’s hope so.” Lavi dragged his hands down his face and came up to a driver leaning against one of the cars at the back. “Hey, excuse me, I’m looking for the number 7 that’s scheduled to be here at 14:28. Has it come in yet?”

“If it’s scheduled to be here at half past, then it’s already gone.” The driver blew out a cloud of cigarette smoke mixed with the steam of his own breath. “You’re pretty damn specific. What you need it for?”

“We left something on it… Damn.” Lavi rubbed his nose, sniffling from the cold. “Do you know when it comes back here next time? Or _if_?”

“How the hell would I know?” The driver shrugged, tossing his cigarette butt in a snow pile. “But if you lost something in there, go to the lost property office. It’s over there.” He pointed a square building across the rails. “Down the stairs, third door to the left. If the driver found your stuff, he took it there for sure.”

“Thanks, we’ll check it.” Lavi’s shoulders slumped a little as he made his way back to Allen. “I hope to god it will be there. I don’t want to die yet.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s going to be fine.” Allen gave him a reassuring smile. “Really, though. You can memorize a timetable in seconds, but forget about the book you had in hand a moment before?”

“Don’t mock my pain,” Lavi whined, elbowing him in the arm – not that Allen could feel anything through his thick coat.

They slid into the office building, welcoming the warmth inside with a pleased sigh. The lost property room was just at the end of the short, dimly lit corridor – a small, cramped space with a single desk and a few shelves of labeled boxes behind it.

Professor Sheril’s book was decidedly not in any of them.

“Great, so what now?” Lavi tugged at his hair as they left the office, followed by the annoyed glare of the desk lady. “What the hell am I gonna tell the prof? He’ll have me quartered before I even open my mouth!”

“Lavi, don’t be so dramatic. That’s _my_ job.” Allen shoved his hands in his pockets, tilting his head back towards the darkening sky as he pondered their options. “It’s getting late. I’d say, let’s go back to the mall and do our shopping, and maybe look around the bookstore while we’re there? We could just get him a new copy. Maybe he’ll even like that more than getting his old one back. That book was pretty worn out, after all.”

“It wasn’t worn out, it was _well used_!” Lavi protested. “Which means he was probably pretty attached to it, _which means_ I’m definitely gonna lose a limb or two. But yeah, we could try that. It’s not like there’s much else we can do now.”

The ride back was tense and quiet. Lavi kept staring out the window, plunged in his gloomy thoughts, and Allen didn’t really have anything left to say to him to dispel this hopeless mood. It got even worse once they reached the mall; the bright lights and a slew of gaudy Valentine’s Day decorations grated their eyes at every step, in stark contrast with their low spirits.

“Maybe I should buy him chocolates as an apology,” Lavi mused, staring at the racks by the registers as they queued with a few odds and ends from the chemist’s. “You think the prof likes chocolates?”

“We can think about it after we have ran out of other options, all right?” Allen swept his shopping into a bag and pointed a sign a few stores down. “Come on, there’s the bookstore. Maybe you won’t have to apologize after all.”

They slipped in the midst of shelves, scanning the rows of tightly packed books and breathing in the heavy scent of new paper. The textbook section was a disappointing mess, and humanities only had one narrow bookshelf, half of which was packed with misclassified self-help guides. Lavi groaned.

“It’s not there?” Allen craned his head over a table full of dictionaries.

“Nope. Unless someone put it with astrophysics or something. Wouldn’t surprise me at this point.”

“I’ll just ask.” Allen turned around and headed to the information desk in the far corner. Lavi watched him smile brightly as he talked to the short girl stationed there, who typed something into her computer and looked back at him, shaking her head. Allen’s smile dimmed. By the time he joined Lavi again, he was pouting.

“They don’t have it,” he stated the obvious, slowly turning back towards the exit. “She said we could try in academic bookstores, but the chances are slim. Apparently it’s out of print.”

“No!” Lavi tossed his head back, defeated. “Great. I’m dead. It’s been nice knowing you.”

“Calm down, Lavi.” Allen tugged at his sleeve, gently leading him to a nearby bench. “Come on, let’s go over there and think this through.”

They sat down in front of the pet shop, just opposite of the bunny run in the front window. Lavi rested his head in his hands, staring at the apathetic animals with a pang of envy. Right at that moment, it would be so much better to be a bunny.

“It’s a long shot, but we could look in second-hand bookshops, too,” he muttered. “There’s at least two of them around here. Maybe someone had had this book for the lectures and got rid of it later.”

“That’s a great idea!” Allen perked up, reluctantly taking his eyes off the bunnies. “They should still be open at this hour, right? Let’s go!”

“You sure you want to stick around for that?” Lavi asked. “I mean, it’s okay if you’d rather go back to the dorm. Or stay here with the buns.”

“It’s fine.” Allen smiled, already up on his feet and shouldering his bag. “I’ll help you out. I was going to be using this book as well, after all. And we’ll save some time if we split up. Where are those bookshops?”

“There’s one by the bank, on the other side of the street from the skating rink. You know where that is, right?” A wave of new energy washed over Lavi as they went out of the mall and into the cold, dark afternoon. “I’ll take the one by the post office. Let’s meet up at the tram stop when we’re done, okay?”

“Sounds good.” Allen nodded and pulled his scarf tighter around his neck. “Call me if you find it, I’ll call you too. Good luck!”

“Yeah, we sure could use some,” Lavi chuckled. He gave Allen a pat on the shoulder and turned around, walking off briskly through the snow-strewn street.

The small bookstore squeezed in between the post office and a convenience store was one of the few places he had come to genuinely like over the last few months in this city. Lavi had quickly taken to stopping by there every time he was around. The quiet front room was cramped with shelves and baskets full of delightfully old books. It reminded him of home, and there was always something oddly melancholy about spotting the exact same editions he remembered from his grandfather’s library.

This time, however, no matter how hard he peered at the dilapidated book spines, the one longed-for familiar title just wasn’t there.

Feeling more and more sour by the minute, Lavi left the bookshop, bidden goodbye by the cheerful ringing of the bell hung over the door. The snow started falling again, huge wet petals coming silently down from the inky sky and clinging to his hair and scarf. Lavi picked up the pace and trotted up the street to take shelter at the tram stop. Allen wasn’t there yet; hopefully that meant he had more luck.

The wind got stronger, pushing the falling snowflakes under the roof and into Lavi’s face. It was hard to see now. The city has vanished behind a solid veil of white, tinted gold and red from the streetlamps and the steady onrush of traffic. As minutes ticked by, the biting cold started to get unbearable. Lavi buried his face in the wet scarf, hopping a little on the spot to warm up his stiff legs. Ten minutes. Fifteen. Twenty. He counted the trams that stopped and went by, pushed far into the corner of the shelter to keep out of the snow and the crowded walkway. After the fifth tram closed its door and slid away into the darkness, he lost the rest of his patience, dug his phone out of his backpack and picked Allen’s number with numb fingers.

Thank god, Allen picked up immediately.

“I’m freezing,” Lavi whined in lieu of a greeting, leaning hard against the back wall of the shelter. “What’s taking you so long? Did you find the book?”

“No…” Allen’s voice was a little breathy, and he cleared his throat noisily before continuing. “I didn’t find it… And now I can’t find the tram stop, either.”

“Say _what_?!” Lavi cried out in disbelief. “Seriously? You got lost? Where the heck are you?”

“If I knew that, I wouldn’t be lost, would I?” Allen huffed. “I’m standing under the awning of some hairdresser’s. There’s a little park with a fountain just across the street. I think. I can’t see much.”

“It’s okay, I know where that is. Just turn left at the— or you know what, I’ll go get you. Just stay right where you are.” Lavi ended the call and pushed himself off the wall, facing the unrelenting snowstorm all around him. Misplacing a book was enough for today – he really didn’t want to end up misplacing a friend now, too.

Even in the blizzard, it didn’t take him long to get to the right place. It wasn’t far, just tucked away really well in the maze of backstreets off the main road. He spotted Allen right away, huddled in the arcade of a strip mall like a miserable snowman and slurping noodles out of a cardboard box.

“Sorry,” Allen groaned hoarsely as soon as he saw him. “I have no sense of direction to begin with, and then it started to snow and I got even more confused. Thank you so much for coming here.”

“No problem.” Lavi reached to brush the snow off Allen’s cap, earning an offended yelp when some of it fell into the box. “We’re just a street away from the stop, anyway. What’s this?”

“I came across a food truck while looking for my way back.” Allen held the box up, wafting the spicy scent of sesame and fried chicken under Lavi’s nose. “It’s so good! There’s chives and beansprouts in it!”

“Yeah, all right, _Beansprout_ ,” Lavi laughed, gently pushing the box away. The faint warmth still seeping through the cardboard felt wonderful to the touch. “I’m getting hungry, so have mercy and don’t flaunt those smells like that.”

“Oh. Do you want some?” Allen jabbed his chopsticks into the noodles, expertly coiling up another mouthful. Lavi shook his head with a smile, knocking down more piled-up snow.

“Nah, I’m cool. Eat up. My hands are so numb I wouldn’t be able to hold the chopsticks, anyway.”

“I can help you.” Allen plucked a piece of chicken out of the box and raised it up expectantly. “Hurry up before I drop it.”

“Thanks!” Surprised, Lavi chomped down on the chopsticks, humming with delight as the sweet and sour taste filled his mouth. “You know, I’m pretty sure that’s bad chopsticks manners.”

“Is it? I didn’t know.” Allen popped another piece of chicken in his mouth, then reeled in more noodles. “But you don’t mind, do you?”

“Not one bit.” Lavi zeroed in on the noodles, wiping some of the sauce off his chin. They were already nearing the tram stop, and by the time they got there and finished the box, their tram arrived as well, hissing and screeching like a lazy, pissed off cat.

“Man, I’m beat. And all of this running was for nothing,” Lavi whined as they plopped down in a seat. He loosened his scarf, sweeping off the petals that have now started to harden into icy clumps. Allen slumped down by the window, his hair completely wet from the snow that had soaked through his cap.

“You know, we still have until the exam to figure something out,” he mused. “I’ll ask Link tomorrow, maybe he’ll have some ideas.”

“That’d be good.” With a sigh, Lavi slid down his seat as far as his long legs let him. His head lolled to the side, onto Allen’s shoulder, and he pressed his cheek to the wet wool with bliss. His face felt hot; it would be a miracle if he doesn’t catch a cold after this.

He was just about to close his eye and spend the rest of the ride napping, lulled by the monotonous rocking of the car, when something unbelievable caught his sight.

“Is this…?” Lavi perked up in an instant, leaning over Allen’s lap to reach into the gap between the seat and the wall. “Holy shit! Allen, look!”

“What?” Allen focused his gaze on the thick volume that Lavi was now cradling to his chest like the priceless treasure it was. “No. No way. _How_?”

“ _We’re on the same tram_! I can’t believe we’re on the same tram,” Lavi cried out, his voice breaking with joy and relief. “It must have slipped down there when I was showing you the T-rex, and no one noticed. We’re saved!”

“Amazing,” Allen breathed out, shifting his stare from the book to Lavi and back again. “Give it to me, I’ll put it in my bag _now_ before we drop it again. We really should have thought about that to begin with.”

“Right. Yeah.” Lavi passed the book into the safe hands and threw his arm around Allen’s shoulders, pulling him into an awkward sideways hug. “I’m so glad. I can’t believe it. I’m so lucky, I should buy a lottery ticket this week.”

“Just don’t lose it.” Allen smirked, looking up at him with amusement.

“No way. I’d sooner lose you, Beansprout. We should start holding hands just so you don’t stray off again.”

“That’s…” Allen sputtered, his eyes dropping as he pursed his lips for a beat. “Stop calling me Beansprout!”

“Too late.” Lavi elbowed him gently with a grin threatening to split his face in two. “It’s your new nickname now.”

“I _fed_ you! Show some gratitude!”

“Oh, I'm grateful all right. Really. _So grateful_ for all the beansprouts you gave me.”

“I swear, I should have stayed with the bunnies at the mall,” Allen sighed, pressing his forehead to the cold dark window.


	3. Foolishness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 - unlimited potential, risks, foolishness

The shopping cart stood just around the bend, wedged in the tree fork in the bushes by the road, with its front wheels off the ground like a rearing horse. The late afternoon sun glinted on the steel frame, sharp and irritating.

The same gleam sparkled in Lavi’s eye as they got closer, and Allen immediately regretted taking this shortcut.

“Lavi, what are you doing?” he sighed, watching the redhead jump off the path and wade through the undergrowth.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Lavi reached the cart in three excited strides and yanked the handle. The thin branches above his head shook in offense at the disturbance.

“It looks to me like you’re going doolally.” Allen rolled his eyes, his shoulders slouching. He was too tired and way too hungry to deal with Lavi’s antics right now. “Come on, let’s go before the shops close.”

“Relax, we’ve got plenty of time,” Lavi groaned, still wrestling the cart and rustling the bushes like a frenzied badger. Finally, the metal basket slipped free from the trap, landing on the ground with a clatter and sending pieces of bark flying.

“Sweet,” Lavi whistled as he dragged it out onto the path to meet Allen’s incredulous stare. “Jealous, are we now?”

“Why would I be—“ Allen paused, cringing at the shrill metallic screeching as Lavi started to push the cart with a proud grin. “Really, Lavi? Please don’t tell me you’re actually taking it with you.”

“Sure am.” Lavi rolled the cart back and forth in one spot, trying to straighten up the squeaky wheels. “Why do you think I pulled it out of there?”

“I honestly have no idea,” Allen huffed, crossing his arms on his chest. “Leave it alone and let’s go shopping already. There you can have all the carts you want.”

“Yeah, but _there_ , they don’t let me do _this_!” Before Allen could react, Lavi took a run-up and jumped onto the cart’s frame, launching himself onwards like an overgrown roller-skate. The cart skipped on the bumpy pavement, wobbling and creaking.

“I wonder why,” Allen deadpanned, but his gut pinched at the sight. “Please don’t break your face now.”

“Awww.” Lavi stopped the cart with an abrupt jerk and turned to him, grinning. “You’re worried about my face? You like it?”

“I _like_ not having to take you to the hospital.” Allen trotted up to him, kicking at stray pebbles as he went. “You’d better not start bleeding before I get to buy some dumplings for dinner.”

“Your concern is touching.” Lavi’s grin was crooked and not as pleased as before. He took off again, pushing himself with one leg, the other planted firmly on the hind axle. The cart tipped a bit under the uneven weight. Allen grit his teeth and followed, fidgeting with the zipper of his coat, a wave of heat creeping up his neck even in the chilly April air.

The cart’s squeaking fell silent after the next turn, and for one blissful moment Allen thought Lavi finally got bored with his new toy. He picked up the pace and rounded the corner, but his relief was short-lived. Lavi was parked at the side of the path, tapping his shoe on one of the wheels and leaning against the handle with no intention to let go of it.

“What’s taking you so long?” he called. “Come here, I need you!”

“What is it now?” Allen joined him reluctantly, his impatience growing with every step. “Did you get tired? Do you want me to push you?”

Given the circumstances, the delighted grin on Lavi’s face was deeply concerning.

“Better.” Eye aglow, Lavi hooked an arm around Allen’s shoulders and gestured at the cart with his head. “Get in there.”

“I’m not letting _you_ push me, either.” Allen elbowed him lightly in the side, but made no effort to slip out of the grip. “Besides, I’m not sure this thing will even hold me. Look at how wonky it is!”

“Eh, it’s fine!" Lavi gave him a comforting pat on the chest and threw one leg over the edge of the basket. The cart tottered to the side and slammed back down on its wheels, creaking under the added weight. Undeterred, Lavi climbed all the way in and settled down like a smug hamster in a tiny cage.

“See? Nice and comfy,” he called, drumming his fingers on the spot in front of him. “Hop in, Allen! Let’s ride together!”

“Ride? How do we—“ Allen cut himself off, finally taking note of their surroundings. Off the path, just a few steps from where they were standing, the lawn sloped towards the parking lot at the back of the campus. The steep stretch of grass ran undisturbed for a few hundred meters – wide, empty, and dreadfully tempting.

“Nope,” said Allen firmly, grabbing the cart by the handle to haul it a few precious inches back. “No, no, no, no, no. No way.”

“Come on, Allen, please!” Lavi tilted his head back and fixed him with an imploring upside-down stare. “Just once! It’s gonna be fun!”

“I respectfully disagree. Get out of there!”

“Alleeeeen…” Lavi slumped in the cart, bumping his head against the metal mesh. He sat there for a moment, crumpled with his knees under his chin, before turning to Allen with a teasing smile.

“If you do this, I’ll buy you dumplings to last you for a week.”

That got Allen’s attention. Not quite good enough to risk breaking his neck for, granted – but good enough to at least start _considering_ it. He moved closer, looking Lavi over carefully with narrowed eyes.

“Go on,” he said.

“I’ll make you noodles this weekend.” Lavi wasted no time upping the ante. “The real deal, not that instant crap you always get. You know it’s worth it, Allen. Don’t keep me waiting here.”

_Oh, why did he have to mention the noodles?_

“Fine,” Allen groaned, the thought of food wrenching his already miserable stomach. “Scoot over and let’s get this over with.”

Lavi let out a triumphant chuckle and shuffled as far back as he could, though with his height, it didn’t make much of a difference. Allen tried his best not to step on him as he clambered over the frame, but his friend didn’t leave him much room to maneuver.

“Are you… really sure about this?” he asked, carefully lowering himself between Lavi’s legs. It was a bit uncomfortable, to say the least – and not just because of the wire pinching him in all the wrong places.

Lavi squeezed his sides with his knees, looping his arms around Allen’s waist and pulling him closer.

“A little too late for second thoughts now, Beansprout.” He smiled, his chin digging into Allen’s shoulder as he leaned forward to shift their weight. The cart moved forward, inch after inch, and slowly started rolling downhill.

And then, it put on speed, something that two students of humanities didn’t take into account.

The rush threw Allen back, pressing him up against Lavi’s chest. He clenched his hands on the edge of the cart and leaned his head away, trying to keep himself from knocking his teeth out with his own knee. Lavi was screaming right into his ear, arms tight around him, fingers bruising his ribs through the thin coat. Between the hot breath on his cheek and the cold air tearing into his mouth, Allen felt like his face was about to melt away.

“Turn!” he yelled, blinking away the tears that the crazy speed started to squeeze out of his eyes. Up ahead, and closer by the second, loomed the fence of the parking lot – solid iron bars on a concrete base. A terrible way to stop.

“Shit!” Lavi’s voice nearly burst his eardrum. “Push left! Now!”

Allen didn’t need to be told twice. He threw himself against the side of the cart with all he had, and suddenly the sinking feeling in his stomach was knocked right out of him along with his breath. He fell on the ground, pulling his legs in as the sky spun overhead in a sickening whirl. In front of him, the cart skidded on the wet grass and crashed into the fence with a resounding clang. Allen felt his teeth ring at the impact. He was really glad he still _had_ them at this point.

It took him a moment to realize why breathing was so hard. The rough landing did nothing to break Lavi’s grip on his stomach; they were still tangled up in each other, twisted on the ground in one big crisscross of arms and legs. As the daze slowly crawled out of his brain, Allen decided to try moving again, clenching his eyes closed to stop his head from swimming. Up till now, he had no idea it was possible to get motion sickness while laying down.

“Ugh… Lavi, get off me,” he gasped, and finally felt the hold around him loosen. He rolled on his side, swallowed down the nausea and carefully propped himself up on his elbow. Beside him, Lavi was already pulling himself up as well, sitting with his legs outstretched far apart and grimacing as if he was about to puke between them.

“Are you all right?” Allen asked, looking him over with concern. The pitiful sight made him shelf all the “ _Told you so_ ”s and “ _You had it coming_ ”s for later.

“Not sure yet.” Lavi’s eye focused on him, still a bit glassy. “What about you?”

“I’m fine.” Allen let out a long breath and wiped his hands on his trousers, brushing off the bits of soil and pebbles embedded in his skin. His coat sleeve was caked in dirt and ripped at the shoulder, but at least it saved him from grazes.

“Sorry,” Lavi mumbled, leaning over to pluck a stray grass blade out of his hair. His fingers skimmed over Allen’s temple as he pushed back his tousled bangs, messing it up even more. “It didn’t go quite as planned.”

“I’d give it a solid three out of ten.” Allen smiled, flicking clods of earth off Lavi’s jacket in retaliation. “You need to work on your braking technique. And on seatbelts.”

“Duly noted,” Lavi laughed. “Come on, let’s get out of here and pretend this failure never happened.”

“Good idea. Now we really need to hurry up before they close.” Allen pushed himself off and stood up, dusting off his trousers and wincing as he patted down his sore spots. He offered his hand to Lavi, fingers clasping firmly around each other’s forearm, but Lavi only got halfway up before he let out a sharp cry and nearly fell over again. Startled, Allen grasped at his other arm and carefully eased him back down on the ground.

“What’s wrong?”

“My knee,” Lavi groaned through his teeth, his upper lip curling in a pained snarl. “I can’t bend my right leg.”

“Can I see?” Allen leaned over, casting him a worried look. With a nod, Lavi pulled up his jeans, hissing and wincing when the rough fabric brushed against his skin. There were scrapes and scratches all over his shin, and his knee looked red and swollen. Allen glided his finger over it, his touch barely there to aggravate the injury.

“I don’t think it’s dislocated, so that’s good,” he decided. “It’s probably just a bruise. Try not to move it too much.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Lavi muttered. He looked around and sighed as his eye fell on the mangled metal frame laying in the grass with two of its wheels ripped off. “Too bad we crashed the cart, you could drive me.”

“You wish,” Allen snorted, but the smile he sent him next was genuine. “It’s all right, we will manage. Here, hold onto me.”

Whimpering weakly, Lavi grabbed onto his arms and hauled himself up; Allen took hold of him as soon as he was up, slipping his arm around his back to steady him. They wobbled slightly, but quickly regained their balance, leaning against each other as their feet kept sliding on the trodden grass.

“Ready?” Allen turned to look at Lavi, unkempt red hair tickling his ear as he did.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Lavi’s voice was a tad breathy, yet oddly cheerful. He slung his arm across Allen’s shoulders just like he always did, his hand dangling freely over Allen’s chest. Allen reached up and grabbed his wrist, securing his hold as they both took their first wonky step forward.

They hobbled across the lawn, jostling and dragging each other behind whenever they fell out of step. Allen didn’t even know how they managed to make it back uphill like that. Lavi was a warm weight against his hip, pressing down on him with every covered meter, his heavy breaths sweeping over Allen’s cheek every now and then.

“We’re going the wrong way, Beansprout,” he noticed once they clambered back onto the path. “The shop’s over there. You’re getting lost even here?”

“Should I drop you?” Allen scoffed, but his grip only tightened. “We’re not going to the shop, I thought that was obvious. I’m taking you back to the dorm.”

“What?” Lavi turned to him so fast he nearly smashed his nose into Allen’s head. “But it’s already late, no way you’ll make it both ways at this pace. You said you had nothing left to eat, are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”

“Thank you for your concern, but I’ll figure it out.” Allen shook his head with a smile. “Besides, remember you promised me noodles on the weekend. And dumplings. You’re not getting out of this.”

Lavi chuckled.

“Fair enough. I’ll buy you so many dumplings.” He staggered and bumped playfully into Allen, their legs tangling up a little as they kept walking. “Thanks, Allen. I really owe you one.”

“Don’t mention it." Allen gave his hand a little squeeze, an absent smile slipping on his face. The winding path stretched before them, the streetlamps along the curb snapping to life under the greying evening sky. Up ahead, he could already spot the first dorm buildings.

It wasn’t much further now, and he was really glad they took that shortcut after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is all I've managed to write so far. I'll need to take my time with the remaining chapters because I don't want to turn this story into a rushed, garbled mess. I'll be updating it as I go, but also probably working on some other stuff in the meantime. Stay tuned for phase two~


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